PSXVideo.EXE walkthrough
Made by:
Brian "TheFreak" Balsan
Started: May 8, 1998
last updated: October 1, 1998
Please Visit my "Freakservo" website at:
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Problems? Questions?  Writing to say Hi? Email me: 
THEFREAK@prodigy.net
(That is my real address, thank you!)
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What's been updated:
-Some really useful information from Blue Bomber!

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Ok, obviously there are people (Like me, for awhile) 
that had no real idea about getting the PSXvideo.exe 
file to work properly, and the text files, other than 
a crappy 2-page english file, is all in Japanese (Or 
Taiwanian or Chinese or.....ah, forget it!).  So I'm 
going to give you this step-by-step guide on how to get 
this program to work...properly!

What the PSX.video file does is take any FMV sequence 
from a Playstation disc and transfers it into a 
replayable AVI format, complete with stereo quality 
sound!

When you unzip the file, you will get three main 
programs (Text and helpfile is useless in this case):

PSXvideo.exe: This is your main program right here.  
The icon should look like a playstation.  This 
is the program responsible for converting STR(Stream) or 
MOV(Movie) files into AVI format.  This is a windows
program.

CDXA: This is a dos-based converting program.  
Because of the PSX's blocking system, if you transfer 
a file by dragging it there's a good chance that it'll 
be corrupt(I.E. Lost or screwed-up animation frames, 
etc.).  Other files the PSXvideo program won't even 
recognize until you use this program to convert 
it to harddrive, which is recommended before converting, 
might I add.  This file is also available for converting 
.xa or .xas files into a compatible .str file format 
for the PSXvideo.

CDXAFind: I believe this takes the XA files from the 
CD and finds out if it could be converted into a 
movie-playable .str.  Other than that, I have 
no real idea.  Maybe it's needed to run the 
CDXA file.  This is also a dos-based program.  
I also believe that if you try transfering an 
.XA file to an. STR file (As explained below) 
and doesn't appear in its written location, it 
may not be a video file then.....

Check out this info from Blue Bomber...:
"This is an important program which you use to convert STR files
when multiple movies exist in one file.

For example - Tekken 3 has loads of movies but they are all in one
XA file - CDXAFIND will run through the file detecting all of the
movies inside and converting them one by one.
Ace Combat 2 also uses
this method."

This just may answer some questions as to why some games won't
convert certain .str or .xa files...I should try taking out a few of my
PSX disks and trying this out!  Thanks, Blue! =-}

When you get the PSXvideo program and have not 
registered it, you will only get to "Preview" the 
movies and not be able to convert them.  You could get 
the registration code at:

http://www.phoenix.net/~feldon/psxvideo.html

Once you have gotten the code, open the PSXVideo 
program and go to help, then about.  A screen shows up 
and you are given the option to register.  Select 
register, put in a username, and the password given on 
the webpage, and press ok.  Close out of the PSXvideo 
file and reopen it.  Now the "Open" In the file 
category will be active, allowing you to convert.

Ok, with that out of the way, we get to downloading a 
file from a PSX disc.
First load a PSX disc into the CD-ROM drive.
Let's take Klonoa for an example, since I just love 
that game.

Find a file that has str. or .mov as their extentions.

Ok...Let's take Open.str for a sample.

So now you use the CDXA program.  Open up your dos 
prompt file (Start, then programs, then MS-DOS prompt) 
and type in the location of the CDXA file.  For 
example, it is in a folder in the C drive entitled 
"Execute".  So since the dos prompt is automatically 
directed to the windows folder, you change directory, 
or "cd" for short.  So you type in something like:

cd\execute

and press enter.  You are now in the folder where the 
CDXA file is.
Now it's time to transfer the file from CD-ROM to hard 
disk.  Let's say you want to put the Open.str file in 
a folder named "Movies" which is in the "Execute" 
file.  Now, since the execute folder is in the C drive 
(Let me know when I lost you.)you would type in the 
ms-dos program "argument" as:

C:\execute\movies\open.str

But first, you need to put in the program needed to 
run the transfer, CDXA, and you will need to put the 
location of the CD-ROM file in first.

So when it's all typed in, it should look like 
(Ex. CD-ROM drive letter is labaled Q):

CDXA Q:\open.str C:\execute\movies\open.str

You are now copying the file from where it 
is to where it's going.

If the file is a .XA file the only difference is that 
the CD-rom argument should be written with ".XA" in 
the file name instead of .str and the location argument 
should stay ".STR". Using the CDXA program will 
convert all .XA programs to .str, but that does 
not necessarily mean that the file was a 
video file...Look at the CDXAfind description 
for an idea.

Now for the fun (and easy) part.  Converting the .str 
file into an AVI.

But, however, first thing's first(insert groans).  When 
you open the PSXvideo  program go to option and go to 
"convert option".  I shall try to explain what all 
these options do.

Display Option: Obviously, if you want to see your 
conversion in progress.

Display size: How big do you want to see the screen?  
Personally I keep it at it's default normal size, 
since half is too small and double is, well, too big.

Video size correct: You know what?  I never turned 
this on to care what it might be, but I would believe 
this is a program that will ask you if you want to 
correct the size of the video display....

Some more info from Blue Bomber...:
"When checked as "ask" you will be given an extra option before
conversion which allows you to alter the dimensions of the video clip."

Only have tried it once, I wasn't really sure of the Video size settings...
Thanks again Blue!

FF7 Check: There are .str and .mov files out there 
that, even when using the CDXA program, the convertion 
to AVI will come out corrupt.  I believe that with 
this option on, the conversion will come out clear and 
flawlessly.

Frame rate: Keep it on auto, and the program itself 
will tell you what the suggested frame rate conversion 
will be without losing any frames....I think....

Gamma correct: Probably the screen centering program.

Blue Bomber knows better =-}...:
"This alters the contrast of the video clip you convert"

Contrast, eh? Next time I convert an "Einhander" movie I'll try that =-}
Thanks once again Blue!

Compress option: Why I brought you to the convert 
options screen in the first place.  Here is where you 
decide on a compressor program that will be successful 
in transferring the files you want.  
"Microsoft Video 1" Will be able to convert most movie 
files, and should be the one you can trust. But other 
Compressors do better work.  Look at the list below
for your choice of compression.

Once you choose your compressor, press ok and press 
Ok on the Convert options screen to exit with the 
compressor program intact.

Now it's time to convert!

Close the PSXvideo file to make sure the convert 
program changes, then reopen it.  Choose "Open" from 
the file menu and find the location of the .str file.  
Open it, and a "Save as" screen will pop up.  select 
the location of where you want to put the converted 
AVI file, and press "Save".  The file will analize how 
many frames there are in the movie and suggest a 
framerate.  Press ok and a screen with an estimated 
time of completion and time elapse will show.  
Usually these files take a long time to convert, 
since the program is converting the file one slow 
painful frame at a time.  I suggest keeping yourself 
busy until it's downloaded.

Once it's completed, it is now time to test your AVI 
file.

These files also come out huge, too.  The Wild Arms 
Grand Finale FMV, for example, will convert to AVI 
format and use 150 MEGS of your harddisk space.  Hope you 
have a large harddisk....

If the AVI file comes out perfectly, you no longer 
need that .str file in your hard drive anymore.  
Throw 
it out.


I have compiled a list of compressors that are in the
PSXvideo Compressor options:  I will attempt to list
The quality of the video and final Meg count after
AVI conversion (Based on an original 4.57MB .mov file):

Full Frames (Uncompressed):  Fast compression time;
Obviously it's uncompressed so nothing is taken away,
But it comes with a price.....The AVI now stands at
47.8MB!!!....Imagine converting the Final Fantasy 7
ending with this compressor......Yowza!

Intel Indeo(R) Video Interactive:  Slow compression
time, and frames are sacrificed, but totally
unnoticeable!  Crystal clear picture, and check out
that meg size....4.08MB!  It actually saves memory!

Cinepak Codek by Radius:  Fast compression time, but
not as fast as Full Frames; Picture's better than
Microsoft Video one, but not as good as Intel Indeo(R).
Meg size is a reasonable 4.14MB.

Intel Indeo(R) Video R3.2:  pretty fast conversion time;
Video a bit better than Cinepak Codek, still not as 
good as Intel Indeo(R), though.  Meg size is 3.83 MB.

Microsoft Video 1:  Moderate compression time;  Movie
Comes out fine, but pixelized; File is now at 
5.65MB.

Microsoft RLE:  My computer does not have the program.

Microsoft H.263 Video Codec:  Can't run this either...

Microsoft H.261 Video Codec:  Hmmm.......

I confess, I wasn't working with the best video file
available (Bland colors), so I'm not too positively
sure about the picture quality(Except Full Frames and
Intel Indeo(R)).  If anybody could validate them, and
offer extra info on those last three compressors,
I'd be very grateful......

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Some New Stuff...

I got some new information from Blue Bomber about some of the options I've 
barely touched on PSXvideo, and he's also corrected me as to what a couple of
them really do.  I've posted the information as said directly from him in the
areas he explained.  But if you're too lazy to find 'em, just read 'em here
(That's why this "New" area is here for). =-}

Here's what he wrote me:

"Video Size Correct

When checked as "ask" you will be given an extra option before
conversion which allows you to alter the dimensions of the video clip.

Gamma Correct

This alters the contrast of the video clip you convert

CDXAFIND

This is an important program which you use to convert STR files
when multiple movies exist in one file.

For example - Tekken 3 has loads of movies but they are all in one
XA file - CDXAFIND will run through the file detecting all of the
movies inside and converting them one by one.
Ace Combat 2 also uses
this method."

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Hopefully this will help you try to get this thing 
to work.  Still have questions?  Email me.


Many thanks go to:

RPGStoren: We spent one whole night trying to 
get this thing to work properly.  It was then 
I found that the program needed a password.  
If he wasn't online at that time, I would've 
went to sleep(It was 2:30 in the morning at that time).

Zophar's Domain(zophar.malicia.com): This is 
where I got the PSXvideo file from(Thanks InVerse!), 
this is also where I got the web address to the 
"Unofficial" Website with the password on it.

The "Unofficial" PSXvideo Site: Since the person 
or people responsible for making this wonderful 
contraption isn't really doing much in the way 
of plugging it, this site came around to do the 
plugging for them. This is where you can get the 
password needed to officially run the program, 
as well as the basics of running the program that 
inspired me to write this more thorough document.

And finally, myself:  This is a vain moment 
for me, especially since this is the very first 
FAQ I've actually put together.  I really hope 
this FAQ will help you.  And if it doesn't, Email 
me personally and I will answer all!

Other quick thank-you's go to My mother, for 
not bothering me when I don't want to be, My 
sisters and brothers, Who give me this distinct 
feeling of being in a present day version of 
"The Wonder Years", and my dog....No, 
seriously....Who has given me 10 years of fun 
and laughter....And is still going strong!  
Man, I love that pooch!

Some Credit Goes to Patrick Hubert for telling me that
at the compressor options screen, that the best 
conversions are made when the compressor quality is at
100% (Duh!), which for some reason gave me the
curiosity to try out the other compresser programs....

And Blue Bomber, who I've thanked numerous times throughout this FAQ
for the freshest information about this program since May!

'Till next time, Ladies and Wildebeests!



Copyright 1998 Giraffes Broken Ankle, Inc.  
All Rights Preserved
